- published: 26 May 2015
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Art Laboe (born Arthur Egnoian August 7, 1925) is an American pioneering disc jockey, songwriter, record producer, and radio station owner who is generally credited with coining the term "Oldies But Goodies.".
Through his "Original Sound Records" company, Laboe put together the first-ever record album to feature hit songs by various artists from more than one label. Titled "Oldies But Goodies," the album stayed on Billboard magazine's Top 100 LPs chart for over three years.
For decades, Laboe was at the heart of the West Coast music scene, and worked on such pioneering stations as KPOP, where he broadcast a live show from Scrivners' Drive-In in Los Angeles, and KRLA in the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, all the way through to the present. The city of Los Angeles declared July 17, 1981 to be "Art Laboe Day" when he received a star on Hollywood Walk of Fame. Art Laboe memorabilia can be seen at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum's interactive Rock and Radio exhibit in Cleveland, Ohio.
Today, Art Laboe continues in music as an MC, promoter, and Internet disc jockey. His "Killer Oldies" show can be heard every Sunday night in select cities across the West Coast. In 2006, Laboe announced he would also do a nightly show (Monday through Friday) for select stations that already carried his Sunday Night show. Stations like KDES-FM in Palm Springs, KAJM FM, MEGA 104.3 in Phoenix, Arizona and XHRM in San Diego have already signed on with more expected to follow. He can now be heard on KOKO94.com. Though Laboe resides in Los Angeles, his radio programs are now based out of Fresno, CA (KOKO-FM 94.3) Every Monday Thru Friday 7pm-Midnight he takes live requests and dedications.